Tagliacozzo committe for La Madonna dell'Oriente

Madonna Dell'Oriente (Yonkers, NY)

Madonna Dell'Oriente (Tagliacozzo, AQ)

Every September the Yonkers residents who immigrated from Tagliacozzo (a small town in the Abruzzo region of Italy) come together to celebrate the feast of the patron saint of their town.  This happens to be La Madonna dell'Oriente; a title given to the Virgin Mary.  This tradition dates back to the 14th century and the story goes a little like this....The painting of this Mandonna originated in Constantinople during a time when all religious icons were to be destroyed.  A soldier by the name of Giacomo heard a voice coming from the paiting telling him to take her away as she was not to be destroyed.  Throughout its travels the painting finally found a home in the mountain side of Tagliacozzo and there it remains housed in a beautiful church, which overlooks the entire town of Tagliacozzo.  Its a feast that all Tagliacozzani hold dear to their hearts and ties us with our home away from home.